NOT many four year-olds would know what to do in an emergency, but Charlie Miller from Melksham knew exactly what to do when his mum had a seizure at home.
Charlie, who only turned four last month, managed to phone his dad on his mum’s mobile phone as his mum had collapsed at home.
And his actions brought a certificate for bravery from Queensway Chapel Nursery.
Charlie’s mum Jo said, “I was at home with Charlie and his brother Jamie who is 18 months old when I had a seizure, which I’ve never had before. Charlie managed to call his dad at work using the emergency call feature on my iPhone because my phone was locked. He told his dad that mummy was asleep on the floor and he couldn’t wake mummy up.
“My husband Andrew was obviously confused and wasn’t sure whether we were playing a game or something so he told Charlie to really poke me to try and wake me up. I still wasn’t waking up so Andrew told him to slap me but Charlie said, ‘I can’t slap mummy, she will tell me off.’
“Andrew was concerned so he called my sister-in-law who lives just down the road and she came and found me.
“As Andrew arrived a few minutes later, so did the paramedics. It was actually a friend of mine who had called an ambulance because I had sent her a few text messages not long before I’d collapsed that didn’t make any sense whatsoever and when she tried to call me, there was no answer. She was worried that something had happened and called for help.
“I don’t remember anything about the seizure but I was unconscious for about 20 minutes. When I came round, I couldn’t remember my name, my husband’s name or my children’s names. It was terrifying.
“When Charlie was putting his shoes on to go and stay with his auntie whilst I was in hospital, he said to me, ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t wake you up mummy and that you were hitting your head.’ That broke my heart. He’d obviously seen me have the seizure and saw me hitting my head repeatedly on the ground. As a parent, knowing that he saw me like that and that it upset him, is heartbreaking.
“Despite the situation, Charlie was so brave and stayed so calm. We are so incredibly proud of him, what he did in those circumstances was so amazing.
“I think I’ve shown him briefly in the past how to make an emergency call if necessary but I really didn’t think he was paying attention, especially as he’s so little. But he knew exactly what to do, he is a wonderful little boy.
“I feel fine now and luckily I’ve not had another seizure since. I’m due to have an MRI scan and go to the seizure clinic for a check-up, but for now everything is fine.
“He has enjoyed telling all his friends what happened and he was very pleased to receive a certificate for bravery at his nursery, Queensway Chapel Nursery.”
